Leather stretching apparatus



ept. 29, 1 53 .1. w. DURKEE 2,653,410

LEATHER STRETCHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 9, 1949 Patented Sept. 29, 1953PATENT OFFICE 2,653,416 LEATHER STRETCHING'APPARATUS John w. Durke'e;Norm Wilmington, Mass. Application retrain 9, 1949; seriamo. 75,399-

2' Claims:

My present invention relates to apparatusjfor use in stretching sides ofleather and has" for; its objectives the provision of apparatus that isrel= atively light weight and inexpensive and at the same timefacilitates proper stretching.

It is necessary to stretch sides of leather, before drying, in orderthat as much of the leather may be used as is possible. The usualpractice is to provide frames to which the sides of leather are anchoredby means of holders attached to the edges thereof. The workmen manuallystretch each side in one zone, anchor the holders for that zone, andthen pull the side in another zone and anchor it after it has thus beenstretched. The procedure is continued until the side is deemed to be inproper shape for drying.

In accordance with my invention, I provide apparatus which, in itssimplest form, consists of a pair of members each of which has endportions. Corresponding side portions are slidably connected to anelement to establish a frame that may be expanded by suitable meansproviding adequate mechanical advantage and locked in the desiredexpanded position. My leather supporting means consists of a pair ofsections provided with a multiplicity of recesses engageable by theholders and each section is secured to one of the members and to itsside portions.

With such a frame, the workmen do not have to stretch the side ofleather manually. When the hide is anchored to the leather supportingmeans by the holders in a desired and easily established position, theframe expanding means are operated to expand the frame until the side issuitably stretched. The locking means are then operative to hold theexpanded frame and the properly stretched hide is ready to be placed inan oven for drying.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown an illustrative embodiment ofmy invention from which these and other of its novel features andadvantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a plan view of hide stretching apparatus in accordance with myinvention.

Figs. 2 and 3 are fragmentary sections, on an enlarged scale, along thelines 2-2 and 33 respectively of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary end view of the apparatus.

In the illustrative embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings, myapparatus consists of two pairs of members 5 and B. The members 5 and 6include side portions 1 and 8, respectively, and at 9, I have shownelements having passages extending therethrough dimensioned to slidably2 receive corresponding side portions of both pairs of members therebyto establish a pair of frames. Either frame may be expanded by jacks H1in em gagement with both the member 5 and the member 6 of that frame.

In practice, the members 5 and B of each frame and their side portions 1and 8 are supported by each other and the passages in the elements 9 aredimensioned to snugly receive the corresponding arms of both frames.While the side-portions 1 and 8 may be locked, in any desired way, tothe elements 9 to hold the frames in desired position, I have shown theelements 9 as having a series of holes ll along the top and bottomthereof to receive lock pins l2 entrant of the hole l3 in side membersaccessible therethrough. This construction enables the apparatus to beheld assembled and the frames to be quickly and easily locked in a widerange of expanded positions.

I have indicated the hide supporting means for each frame generally at Mand each of these consists of sections l5 and [6 formed with amultiplicity of holes I! in any one of which a holding clamp or togglel8 may be anchored. Each section of the hide supporting means isanchored to one of the members 5, 6 by a connector l9 and to the sideportions of that member by connectors 20 which extend freely throughslots 21 in the element 9.

I provide the members 5 with pockets 22 in which wheels 23 carried bythe members 5 are partially housed thereby to enable the apparatus to besupported on edge and wheeled along the floor thereby to provide maximumconvenience in handling stretched leather.

It will be apparent, therefore, that my invention ensures the properstretching of sides of leather economically and efficiently as each sidemay be stretched by expanding the frame to which it is detachablyconnected with adequate mechanical advantage.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for use with a jack in stretching leather having holdersattached to the edges thereof, said apparatus comprising two pairs ofmembers each of which includes side portions, a pair of elements each ofwhich has a passag extending therethrough to slidably receivecorresponding side portions of both pairs of members thereby toestablish a pair of frames each of which is adapted to be expanded bysaid jack when in engagement with both members of one frame, eachelement having a slot in parallel with each side portions that itreceives, leather supporting means for each frame comprising a pair ofsections having a multiplicity of anchoring recesses, for said holders,a plurality of connectors connecting each section to the member of theframe for that section, a plurality of connectors extending through thecorresponding element slot and connecting that section to the sideportion of that member, and releasable means to lock each of said sideportions to the element to which it is connected thereby to enable eachframe to be locked in an expanded position.

2. Apparatus for use with a jack in stretching for said holders, each ofsaid sections being connected to one of the members of a frame and toits side portions, each of said elements having a pair of spaced bores,one for each series of recesses with which the recesses successivelyregister as said frame is expanded, and a keeper insertible through eachbor to enter the recess in registry therewith thereby to anchor saidframe in an expanded position when the jack is removed.

leather having holders attached to the edges 1,

thereof, said apparatus comprising a pair of members each of whichincludes side portions having a longitudinal series of spaced recesses,a pair of elements each of which has a passag extending therethrough toslidably receive corresponding thereby 'to side portions of said pair ofmembers establish a frame which is adapted to be expanded by said jackwhen in engagement with both members of one frame, leather supportingmeans for each frame comprising a pair of sections having a multiplicityof anchoring recesses JOHN W. DURKEE.

0' References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 287,009 Dederick Oct. 23, 1883 1,105,824 Noblett Aug.4, 1914 1,355,928- Townsend Oct. 19, 1920 1,392,968 Robinson Oct. 11,1921 1,438,355 Bechstein et a1 Dec. 12, 1922 1,450,782 Ayres Apr. 3,1923 1,576,418 Ede Mar. 9, 1926

